The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus used for manufacturing semiconductor devices and to a device manufacturing method using the exposure apparatus.
In recent years, large-scaled semiconductor manufacturing equipment and facilities have been built for the purpose of improving the production efficiency. In addition, to improve the operation efficiency of apparatuses, the operation time of semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses is getting longer. Under these circumstances, to prolong the operation time of semiconductor exposure apparatuses themselves, illumination lamps used for exposure have been examined to improve their service life. Although the service life of lamps is recently increasing, lamps are exchange components. To keep operating the apparatus, the lamp must be periodically exchanged, though the exchange period has become longer.
Conventionally, a lamp in a semiconductor exposure apparatus is turned on for a predetermined time and then turned off, and the operator waits for a predetermined time until the temperature of the lamp itself drops and then exchanges the lamp. Alternatively, the temperature of a lamp is always monitored, and the lamp is exchanged after a decrease in temperature of the lamp is confirmed.
However, in the method of exchanging the lamp after a predetermined time, the operator waits for the predetermined time independently of the temperature of the lamp. For this reason, the maintenance time (lamp exchange time) of the apparatus prolongs to waste the apparatus stop time, resulting in a decrease in apparatus operation efficiency. When the lamp temperature is always monitored, and the lamp is exchanged after confirmation of a decrease in lamp temperature, the operator devotes himself/herself to the apparatus whose lamp needs to be exchanged because the lamp temperature must be always confirmed without waiting for a predetermined time. This increases the load on the operator, resulting in a decrease in operation efficiency. In addition, since the temperature of a lamp at high temperature needs to be confirmed, the operator may get burnt during confirmation.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above conventional problems, and has as its first object to provide an exposure apparatus whose operation efficiency is improved by minimizing the lamp exchange time and minimizing the device production stop time, and a device manufacturing method using the exposure apparatus. It is the second object of the present invention to allow an operator to confirm the lamp exchange time without devoting himself/herself to the apparatus requiring lamp exchange, thereby decreasing the operation load on the operator and improving the operation efficiency. It is the third object of the present invention to prepare an environment for ensuring safety during operation by preventing any accident such as a burn even in a case of operation error by the operator.
In order to achieve the above objects, an exposure apparatus of the present invention, or a device manufacturing method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using the exposure apparatus is characterized by the following arrangement.
An exposure apparatus having a maintenance door for an exposure illumination lamp comprises means for detecting temperature information of the lamp, means for confirming a stop of an operation sequence of the exposure apparatus and outputting the confirmation result, and means for notifying an operator of an appropriate time for exchanging the lamp on the basis of the temperature information and the confirmation result.
With this arrangement, the operator can know the lamp exchange operation time by referring to the lamp temperature information without devoting himself/herself to the apparatus which requires lamp exchange. Hence, the lamp exchange time and apparatus stop time can be minimized, and the apparatus operation efficiency can be improved. In addition, since the exchange operation is started after the stop of the sequence is confirmed on the basis of the sequence stop information, the exchange operation can be performed without any risk of an accident even in a case of operation error by the operator.
An exposure apparatus having a maintenance door for an exposure illumination lamp comprises means for detecting temperature information of the lamp, and means for notifying an operator of an appropriate time for exchanging the lamp on the basis of the temperature information.
With this arrangement, since the exchange operation is performed by opening the maintenance door in accordance with an indication on an the indicator, the operator can know the lamp exchange time and perform the exchange operation without devoting himself/herself to the apparatus that requires lamp exchange. Hence, the lamp exchange time and apparatus stop time can be minimized, and the apparatus operation efficiency can be improved.
Additionally, the exchange operation can be performed without any risk of a burn even in a case of operation error by the operator.
An exposure apparatus having a maintenance door for an exposure illumination lamp comprises lock means for the door, and the lock means actively locks or unlocks the door on the basis of a change in temperature in an ON or OFF state of the illumination lamp.
Since the door is locked or unlocked using only the energy generated by the shrinkage difference due to a xe2x80x9cchange in temperaturexe2x80x9d as a driving source of the lock means without receiving any external energy, the safety of an exchange operation can be improved with an inexpensive arrangement.
A device manufacturing method comprises the steps of providing an exposure apparatus, and manufacturing a device by exposure using the exposure apparatus.
According to this method, a device can be efficiently and safely manufactured by improving the efficiency and safety of the lamp exchange.
According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, the exposure apparatus further comprises means for controlling a lock mechanism of the door on the basis of the detected temperature information.
According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, the lock mechanism of the exposure apparatus comprises an air cylinder as a driving source.
According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, the lock mechanism of the exposure apparatus comprises a DC actuator as a driving source.
According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, the exposure apparatus further comprises means for controlling a lock mechanism of the door on the basis of the detected temperature information.
According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, the means for detecting the temperature information in the exposure apparatus detects a temperature of the lamp or at a portion where the lamp is exchanged using a sensor as the temperature information.
According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, the lock means of the exposure apparatus actively locks or unlocks the door when a member shrinks or expands and deforms due to a change in temperature.
According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, the exposure apparatus further comprises means for detecting the change in temperature in the ON or OFF state of the illumination lamp, and means for notifying an operator of an appropriate time for exchanging the lamp on the basis of the detection result.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures thereof.